I am soooo glad to be coupon clipping again!!!(And so is my bank account!)
I don't claim to be an expert... in fact, I am still just learning (of course, aren't you always?). But if I can save a few bucks, why not?
I started couponing a couple of years ago. Like most, I watched a few episodes of Extreme Couponing and wanted to be THAT GIRL!!! Well I'm here to tell ya, I am FARRRR from THAT GIRL! However, I have learned to match coupons with sales, stack coupons and try to save as many $$$ as I can.
Before you ask, I don't teach people how to coupon (I don't think I'm that good). My suggestion to you is:
1. Find someone in your area that teaches a class and TAKE IT!
2. Learn the policies of the stores in YOUR area for taking Qs.
3. Learn the language!
4. Get a few of your friends together also interested in it and support each other. Learning can be overwhelming and discouraging... you can use the support.
Okay... enough about that! Like I said, I'm back on the wagon. I fell off a few months ago. I just simply didn't have the time. I was starting a new business, we moved TWICE, bought a house, have been doing a total remodel (of our living room)... it's just been one mess right after the other. Besides, my stockpile was in great shape.
Well.... now it's not!
A few of my girlfriends had been couponing together for months now and I just did not have the time to join in. But I decided this past week ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH. I work hard, all the time. I deserve a break. So I excepted the invite to tag along on their trip. (All of my coupons had long expired so I just was going along for the ride and to see if I could get my desire to clip back). Well... I did. I ended up throwing a plan together right there in the store (with the help of my SISTAS). I did pretty well. My retail on my few things was around $80 and my OOP (Out Of Pocket, see what I mean about learn the language) was around $30. Not to bad.
We hit the winery for a glass of wine, then the chinese place for some grub...
NEVER GROCERY SHOP ON AN EMPTY STOMACH... NEVER
Below is what happens when four coupon divas hit Publix on a Friday night....
Retail: $685.84 OOP: $139.94
Let's just say... that gave me the fever!!! Good timing too. The men in my life informed me a few days ago "Our cereal stash is down to four boxes. You need to clip something". Hanging my head in shame, I admit to paying full price for a box of Fruit Loops the other day. (My SISTAS are gonna kill me). It was the first box of cereal I had paid $3.99 for in TWO YEARS! It darn near caused me to have a stroke.
This morning I decided to throw a coupon trip together. It wasn't much, but I had a few things I wanted to get before the sales ended on Tuesday. So here is my trip today...
Retail: $189.69 OOP: $64.53
Again, not great... but I'll take it! A few of the things I did not have a coupon for (which I hate) but they at least where on sale so that helped my feelings a little.
14 boxes of Kellogg's cereal
(four of them FRUIT LOOPS, lol)
5 gallons of milk
2 bottles Wesson Canola Oil
1 Hellman's Mayo
3 Uncle Bens Rice
4 bottle Ken's Salad Dressing (16oz)
2 jugs Mott's Juice
2 cartons Swanson's Chicken Broth
2 boxes Lipton Tea (100ct)
2 cans Dole Pineapple
1 bag Gold Fish
2 boxes Ritz Crackers
2 bottles Heinz Ketchup (48oz)
4 packs Borden Cheese slices
6 bags Borden Cheese grated
We may soon need mayo and ketchup again, and we are still out of mustard... but I think we are good on cereal for a few weeks.
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